Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Delete Browsing History User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Delete Browsing History Description
This policy setting prevents the user from deleting the history of websites that he or she has visited. This feature is available in the Delete Browsing History dialog box. If you enable this policy setting, websites that the user has visited are preserved when he or she clicks Delete. If you disable this policy setting, websites that the user has visited are deleted when he or she clicks Delete. If you do not configure this policy setting, the user can choose whether to delete or preserve visited websites when he or she clicks Delete. If the "Prevent access to Delete Browsing History" policy setting is enabled, this policy setting is enabled by default.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy Value name: CleanHistory
Enabled: CleanHistory = 0
Disabled: CleanHistory = 1
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableDeletingUserVisitedWebsites ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableDeletingUserVisitedWebsites Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
Applying both scopes creates an ambiguous configuration (computer takes precedence over user). Only do this intentionally.
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
; State: Enabled
; Scope: Computer (HKLM)
; Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy]
"CleanHistory"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'CleanHistory' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/InternetExplorer/DisableDeletingUserVisitedWebsites
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy' -Name 'CleanHistory' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'CleanHistory' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy' -Name 'CleanHistory' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Prevent deleting websites that the user has visited
# State: Enabled
# Scope: Computer (HKLM)
# Supported on: At least Internet Explorer 8.0
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'CleanHistory' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.